Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2004

Mughal Bureaucracy

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

What was 'district' known as during the Mughal administration?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept The Mughal Empire used a highly organized, nested hierarchy to manage its vast territories. Each level had specific officials responsible for military, judicial, and revenue functions.

Explanation In the Mughal system, the empire was divided into Subas (provinces). Each Suba was further subdivided into Sarkars, which are the equivalent of modern districts. Below the Sarkar was the Pargana (sub-district or village cluster).

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The Faujdar was the head of the Sarkar for law and order, while the Amalguzar handled revenue collection.
Logic 2: Terms like 'Suba' were used for large provincial units (states), while 'Sarkar' was the intermediate unit critical for local imperial control.

Active Recall

Question

Who was the chief officer of a 'Suba'?

Answer

The Subahdar, who acted as the provincial governor reporting directly to the Emperor.

Core Insight

The Sarkar-Pargana structure was so durable that much of its terminology and spatial logic survived well into the British Raj and modern Indian district administration.